Apparatus for drying materials



H. E. HOLLISTER.

APPARATUS FOR DRYING MATERIALS.

APPLICATION FILED' JULY 11: I917.

Patented May 20, 1919.

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H. E. HOLLISTER. APPARATUS FOR DRYI'NG MATERIALS.

APPLICATION FILED .lULY17. 191T.

Patented May 20, 1919.

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PM iw w, 1 We ATTORNEY;

A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY E. HOLLISTER, OF IRVINGTON, NEW J ERSEY, A'SSIGNOR T0 KALIBPERRYCORPORATION, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

APPARATUS FOR DRYING MATERIALS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented May 20, 1919- Applicationfiled July 17, 1917. SerialNo. 180,984.

To all whom/it may concern:

Be'it known that I, HARRY E. HoLms'rnR,

of Irvington, in the county of Essex, and in the State of New Jersey,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Apparatus forDrying Materials, and do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description thereof.

The object of my invention has been to provide a method of and apparatusfor drying materials which shall have, amongothers, the advantageofenabling the materials to be placed upon cars, so as to be convenientlyhandled, and yet of securing a very efli'cient drying, both as to timeand cost of fuel, and to such ends my invention consists in the methodof and apparatus for drying materials hereinafter specified.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a' vertical, longitudinal,sectional View of a drier embodying my invention, the view being more orless diagrammatic; I

Fig. 2 is a plan view partly in section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.I

Fig. 3 is a horizontal, sectional view of Fig. 1' on the line 33;

Fig. 4: is a side elevation of a car adapted for use in the drier ofFig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an end view of F ig.1-; and

Fig. 6 is a plan View of Fig. 1.

The heater shown in the accompanying drawings is the best embodiment ofmy invention known to me, but as my invention is capable of embodimentin many different forms, the illustrated embodiment is to be regarded astypical only of many possible embodiments, and my invention is not to beconfined thereto.

The heater which is the subject of the present application is anotherembodiment of my invention forming the sub ect of my application forpatent for method of and apparatus for drying materials, Serial No.180,983, filed July 17, 1917, to which application reference is made forclaims for broad ideas common tothe two applications;

In the heater which is the subject of the accompanying drawings, thematerials to be dried are placed upon cars 1, and preferably npontrayscarried: by the cars. Said cars, as

illustrated, consist of a framework 2 mounted upon axles carried bywheels 3, and such framework, as illustrated, has tw airs of uprightangle-irons, one pair at each 'end',

and channel beams 5 in the middle, which are connected by horizontalbracing at the top. This framework carries two sets of slides or ways 6,which, in the present instance, are shown as angle-irons, for supportingtwo stacks of trays 7, and the material to be dried is placed on saidtrays. The cars are mounted on tracks 8, which run into a housing 9 inthe form of a tunnel. Air for drying is introduced into the housing byany desired means which, in the present instance, is shown as consistingof a fan or" blower 10 mounted on the roof of the housing. The air firstenters an economizer or preheater 1 1 which, in the present instance, isshown as mounted on the roof of the housing. The economizer is shown asconsisting of flues-or pipes having their rear ends opening intothe-duct from. the fan 10, and having their forward ends opening into aduct 13 which opens into a heater'lt. This heater, as illustrated,consists of coils of pipe inclo-sed within the housing- After passingthrough the heater, the air enters the tunnel proper, or passage wherethe car stands, for drying. The tunnel is provided with doors 15 at eachend, which may be opened to admit cars and closed while the dryingoperation is being performed- In orderto cause the ai to passefliciently through the stacks of trays on each car, I provide each carwith aplate or bafiie 1-6 at each end of the car, although the resultcan be obtained by a single plate or baffle on each car. At intervals inthe tunnel I place vertical plates 17 parallel withthetrack, and in suchposition that each such plate shall be opposite a baflie on each car andpreferably shall be opposite and close to the-edges of the battles onthe adjacent ends of two cars. In order toma'ke a tight connectionbetween the plates 17 and the baffles on the cars, I preferably provideeach baffle with a wiper 16 I also preferably provide a wiper 16 at eachedge of the bottom plate 16 of each car. Each alternate plate 17 isconnected by a plate 18 with the outer wall 19 of the housing, the plate18, for instance, nearest the right-hand or upper end. of the tunnelbeing on the upper side of Fig. 2, and the corresponding plate on thelower side of the said figure. Heaters, in the form of coils 20, areplaced beside each car station, and preferably on each side of each carstation.- Between each coil 20' and the outer wall 19, I preferablyplace a diagonal baffle 21. At the rear end of the tunnel is a port 22opening from the rear end of the tunnel into the space outside theeconomizer tubes, so that, as later described, the exhaust air passesthrough the economizer, outside the economizer tubes, and thence forwardand up out of a stack 23 to the atmosphere.

In the practice of my method by the apparatus which I have described,the material to be dried is placed upon trays which are mounted on theangle-irons or slides 6 on the cars, so that each car has two verticalstacks of trays, and the trays are spaced apart so that air can flowover the surface of the material on each tray. The cold air is drawnfrom the atmosphere by the fan and forced through the economizer tubes,taking up the heat transferred to said tubes by the exhaust air passingalong outside of the tubes. The incoming air, after passing through theeconomizer tubes, passes through the duct 13 and into the heater 14:,and thence into the tunnel. The air enters the side of the tunnel fromthe heater (the farther side, as seen in Fig. 2), and passeshorizontally through the stacks of trays of the first car to theopposite side of the tunnel, the baffle plates compelling the air tofollow this course. The air then passes through the first heater coil20, thence between the first plate 18 and the tunnel wall, and throughthe next heater coil, and horizontally through the stacks of trays ofthe second car, crossing the tunnel to the opposite side. In order toinsure that the hot air shall not remain in the upper part of thetunnel, but shall miX with the cooler air at lower levels, the inclinedbaffle 21 is provided in the space between the coils 20 and the outerwall 19 of the tunnel, as before described, the said baffle compellingthe air to descend before it can pass underneath the lower end of thebaffle. The plate 18, together with the plate 17 and the wiper andbaffle 16, prevent the air from passing along the tunnel so that it iscompelled to pass through the stacks of trays as stated. In this manner,the air passes from the heater horizontally across the tunnel throughthe first car and stacks of trays, and then forward and horizontallyacross the tunnel in the opposite direction through the second car andstacks of trays, and so on down the tunnel. Each time the air passes toa car its temperature is restored, preferably to the originaltemperature at which it left the heater, by the coils 2O beside each carstation. Vhen the air has passed through the last car, it enters theeconomizer through the opening 22 and gives up its heat to the outersurfaces of the tubes in the economiaers, and finally passes out thestack 23 with comparatively little waste heat. Not only do the coils atthe sides of the cars heat the air, but

they heat the materials on the cars by direct radiation, thus greatlyaiding in driving off the moisture. To increase this effect, the coilsare placed close to the cars. For accomplishing this function, it is notnecessary that the coils be placed at the sides of the cars, but anyother position of close proximity would do.

With my heater the material placed upon the trays can be brought to theheater upon the cars, and without being unloaded in any manner, passthrough the drying operation and be conveyed away to the place where thedried material is to be used or packed, with a minimum of handling.Because the air is at all times at the most advantageous temperature,and because the material in the cars is heated by the coils at the sidesof the cars, the drying operation is performed at the most efficienttemperature and with great economy of time and fuel.

I claim:

1. The combination of a tunnel, a series of cars adapted to be placed insaid tunnel, transverse partitions between said cars, partitions betweenthe car partitions and the tunnel walls arranged to form a continuousair passage leading through the cars successively in opposite directionstransversely of the tunnel, means to force heated air through saidpassage, and means for preventing formation of strata of cold and warmair in said passage.

2. The combination of a tunnel, a series of cars adapted to be placed insaid tunnel, transverse partitions between the cars, partitions betweenthe car partitions and the tunnel walls arranged to form a continuousair passage leading through the ears successively in opposite directionstransversely of the tunnel, means to force heated air through said airpassage, means for reheating the air at intervals throughout itspassage, and means for preventing formation of strata of cold and warmair in said passage.

8. The combination of a tunnel, a series of cars adapted to be placedtherein, means for causing the air to pass successively through each ofsaid cars horizontally, means for heating the air at intervals duringsaid passage, and an economizer adapted to transfer heat of the exhaustair to the incoming air.

4. The combination of a tunnel, a series of cars each having atransverse partition or baffle, partitions in said tunnel adapted toclose the space between a car battle and the tunnel wall, saidpartitions being placed alternately upon opposite sides of the tunnel,and means disposed between said tunnel partitions for preventing theforma tion of strata of cold and warm air in said tunnel.

The C n on of a tunnel, a series of cars each having a transversepartition or baffle, partitions in said tunnel adapted to I and adaptedto contact with said car baifles,

and partitions connecting said plates with said tunnel walls, saidpartitions being placed alternately upon opposite sides of the tunnel.

7. The combination of a series of cars each having a baffle or partitionthereon 6X- tending' transversely, a tunnel having a track therefor,plates parallel to said track and adapted to contact'with said carbaffles, partitions connecting said plates with sald tunnel walls, saidpartitions being placed alternately upon opposite sides of the tunnel,

and wipers adapted to form a close contact between said car baffles andsaid plates.

j 8. The combination of a series of cars each having a baffie orpartition thereon extending transversely, a tunnel having a tracktherefor, plates parallel to said track and adaptedto contact with saidcar baffles, partitionsconnecting said plates with said tunnel walls,said partitions being placed alternately upon opposite sides ofthetunnel, a heater adapted to heat air entering the tunnel, and aheater near each car station.

9, The combination of a series of cars each having a b aille orpartition thereon extending transversely, a tunnel having a tracktherefor, plates parallel to said track and adapted to contact with saidcar baflies, partitions connecting said plates with said tunnel walls,said partitions being placed alternately upon opposite sides of thetunnel, wipers adapted to form a close contact between said car baflies'andsaid plates, a heater adapted to heat air entering the tunnel, and aheater near each car statlon.

10. The combination of a series of cars each having a bafiie orpartition thereon extending transversely, a tunnel having a tracktherefor, plates parallel to said track and adapted to contact with saidcar baflles, partitions connecting said plates with said tunnel walls,said partitions being placed alternately upon opposite sides of thetunnel, and baflies downwardly inclined in the direction of travel ofthe air to cause a mixing of the hot air in the upper part of the tunnelwith the cooler air at lower levels.

11. The combination of a series of cars each having a bafiie orpartition thereon extending transversely, a tunnel having a tracktherefor, plates parallel to said track and adapted to contact with saidcar bafiies, partitions connecting said platesw-ithsaid tunnel walls,said partitions being-placed alternately upon opposite sides of thetunnel, wipers adapted to form a close contact between said car bafflesand said plates, and

bafiies downwardly inclined in the direction of travel of the air tocause a mixing ofthe hot air in the upper part of the tunnel with thecooler air at lower levels.

12. The combination of a series of cars each having a bafile orpartition thereon extending transversely, a tunnel having a tracktherefor, plates parallel to said track and adapted to contact with saidcar baffles, partitions connecting said plates with said tunnel walls,said partitions being placed alternately upon opposite sides of thetunnel, a heater adapted to heat air entering the tunnel, and a heaternear each car station, and

baflies downwardly inclined in the direction of travel of the air tocause a mixing of thehot air in the upper part of the tunnel with thecooler air at lower levels.

13. The combination of a series of cars each having a baflie orpartition thereon extending transversely,-a tunnel having a-tracktherefor, plates parallel to said track and adapted to contact with saidcar baffles, partitions connecting said plates with said tunnel walls,said partitionsbeing placed alter-" nately upon opposite sides of thetunnel, Wipers adapted to form a close contact between said car bafilesand said plates, a heater adapted to heat air entering the tunnel, aheater near each car station, and bafiies downwardly inclined in thedirection of travel of the air to cause a mixing ,of thehot air in theupper part of the tunnel with the cooler air at lower levels.

14. The combination of a series of cars each having a baffle orpartition thereon extending transversely, a tunnel having a tracktherefor, plates parallel to said track and adapted to contact with saidcar baflie, partitions connecting said plates with said tunnel walls,said partitions being placed alternately upon opposite sides of thetunnel, a heater adapted to heat air entering the tunnel, a heater neareach car station, and an economizer or preheateradapted to transfer theheat of the exhaust air to the incoming air.

15. The combination of a series of cars each having a baffle orpartition thereon extending transversely, a tunnel having a tracktherefor, plates parallel to said track and adapted'to' contact withsaid car baffle, partitions connecting said plates with said tunnelwalls said partitions being placed alternately upon opposite sides ofthe tunnel, wipers 16. The combination of a series of cars each having abaffle or partition thereon extending transversely, a tunnel having atrack therefor, plates parallel to said track and adapted to contactwith said car baffle, partitions connecting said plates with said tunnelwalls, said partitions being placed alternately upon opposite sides ofthe tunnel, baffles downwardly inclined in the direction of travel ofthe air to cause a mixing of the hot air in theupper part of the tunnelwith the cooler air at lower levels, and an economizer or preheateradapted to transfer the heat of the exhaust air to the incoming air.

17. The combination of a series of cars each having a baiile orpartition thereon extending transversely, a tunnel having a tracktherefor, plates parallel to said track and adapted to contact with saidcar baffle, par titions connecting said plates with said tunnel walls,said partitions being placed alternately upon opposite sides of thetunnel, wipers adapted to form a close contact between said car bafliesand said plates, bafiies downwardly inclined in the direction of travelof the air to cause a mixing of the hot air in the upper part of thetunnel with the cooler air at lower levels, and an economizer orpreheater adapted to transfer the heat of the exhaust air to theincoming air.

18. The combination of a series of cars each having a bafiie orpartition thereon extending transversely, a tunnel having a tracktherefor, plates parallel to said track and adapted to contact with saidcar baflie, partitions connecting said plates with said tunnel walls,said partitions being placed alternately upon opposite sides of thetunnel, a heater adapted to heat air entering the tunnel, a heater neareach car station, baflles downwardly inclined in the direction of travelof the air to cause a mixing of the hot air in the upper part of thetunnel with the cooler air at lower levels, and an economizer or preheater adapted to transfer the heat of the exhaust air to the incomingair.

19. The combination of a series of cars, each having a baffle orpartition thereon extending transversely, a tunnel having a tracktherefor, plates parallel to said track and adapted to contact with saidcar baffle, partitions connecting said plates with said tunnel walls,said partitions being placed alternately upon opposite sides of thetunnel, wipers adapted to form a closecontact between said car bafiiesand said plates, a heater adapted to heat air entering the tunnel, aheater near each car station, baflies downwardly inclined in thedirection of travel of the air to cause a mixing of the hot air in theupper part of the tunnel with the cooler air at lower levels, and aneconomizer or preheater adapted to transfer the heat of the exhaust airto the incoming air.

20. A heater comprising the combination,

of cars adapted to carry material to be dried, a tunnel, means forcausing heated air to pass in contact with the material carried by eachof said cars transversely to the track, and successively in oppositedirections, and means for heating the material on the cars by directradiation.

21. A heater comprising the combination of cars adapted to carrymaterial to be dried, a tunnel, means for causing heated air to pass incontact with the material carried by each of said cars transversely tothe track, and successively in opposite directions, means for reheatingthe air at intervals during said passage, and for heating the materialby direct radiation.

22. A heater comprising the combination of cars adapted to carrymaterial to be dried, a tunnel, means for causing heated air to pass incontact with the material carried by each of said cars, transversely tothe track, and successively in opposite directions, means for reheatingthe air at intervals during said passage, and for heating the materialby direct radiation, and means for causing the hotter portions of theair to mix with colder portions.

23. A heater comprising the combination of cars adapted to carrymaterial to be dried in layers at diflerent levels, a tunnel, means forcausing heated air to pass in contact with the material carried by eachof said cars, transversely to the track, and successively in oppositedirections, and means for heating the material by direct radiation.

24:. A heater comprising the combination of cars adapted to carrymaterial to be dried in layers at different levels, a tunnel, means forcausing heated air to pass in contact with the material carried by eachof said cars, transversely to the track, and successively in oppositedirections, means for reheating the air at intervals during saidpassage, and means for heating the material by direct radiation.

25. A heater comprising the combination of cars adapted to carrymaterial to be dried in vertical stacks of trays, a tunnel, means forcausing heated air to pass over the material carried by each of saidcars, transversely to the track, and successively in oppositedirections, means for reheating the air at intervals during saidpassage, and means for heating the material by direct radiation.

26. A heater comprising the combination of cars adapted to carrymaterial to be dried in vertical stacks of trays, a tunnel, means forcausing heated air to pass over the material carried by each of saidcars, transversely to the track, and successively in oppositedirections, means for reheating the air at intervals during said passageand for heating the material by direct radiation, and means for causingthe hotter portions of the air to mix with colder portions.

27. The combination of a tunnel, a series of cars adapted to be placed.therein, means for causing the air to pass successively through each ofsaid cars horizontally, and means for heating the air at intervalsduring said passage, and for heating the material by direct radiation.

28. The combination of a tunnel, a series of cars adapted to be placedtherein, means for causing the air to pass successively through each ofsaid cars horizontally, means for heating the air at intervals duringsaid passage, and for heating the material by direct radiation, and aneconomizer adapted to transfer heat of the exhaust air to the incomingair.

29. The combination of a tunnel, a series of cars each having atransverse partition or bafile, partitions in said tunnel adapted toclose the space between a car bafiie and the tunnel wall, saidpartitions being placed alternately upon opposite sides of the tunnel, aheater adapted to heat the air entering the tunnel, and heaters placedat intervals in the tunnel in the path of said air and close to theoars.

30. The combination of a tunnel, a series of cars each having atransverse partition or baflie, partitions in said tunnel adapted toclose the space between the car battle and the tunnel Wall, saidpartitions being placed alternately upon opposite sides of the tunnelWall, a heater adapted to heat the air entering the tunnel, and heatersplaced close to the car positions.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand.

HARRY E. HOLLISTER.

Witnesses:

H. S. THOMPSON, PAUL W. WEBSTER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

